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Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Grammar Question:
I am an English teacher, so this is serious: In the sentence, “I find it amusing, but I also find I don’t like thinking about diarrhea while having it,” is “having” a gerund?
No - "thinking" is a gerund, the DO of "like" - gerunds are pretty cut and dry as they are simply verbs being used as nouns. "Having" would be a present perfect progressive verb (I think, it's a wonky sentence, but that phrase essentially says "I'm having it"). I also hope you're not using this sentence to teach your children!
The Gerund Recognize a gerund when you see one. Every gerund, without exception, ends in ing. Gerunds are not, however, all that easy to identify. The problem is that all present participles also end in ing. What is the difference? Gerunds function as nouns. Thus, gerunds will be subjects, subject complements, direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions. Present participles, on the other hand, complete progressive verbs or act as modifiers. Read these examples of gerunds: Since Francisco was five years old, swimming has been his passion. Swimming = subject of the verb has been. Francisco's first love is swimming. Swimming = subject complement of the verb is. Francisco enjoys swimming more than spending time with his girlfriend Diana. Swimming = direct object of the verb enjoys. Francisco gives swimming all of his energy and time. Swimming = indirect object of the verb gives. When Francisco wore dive fins to class, everyone knew that he was devoted to swimming. Swimming = object of the preposition to.
No - "thinking" is a gerund, the DO of "like" - gerunds are pretty cut and dry as they are simply verbs being used as nouns. "Having" would be a present perfect progressive verb (I think, it's a wonky sentence, but that phrase essentially says "I'm having it"). I also hope you're not using this sentence to teach your children!
ReplyDeleteThe Gerund
ReplyDeleteRecognize a gerund when you see one.
Every gerund, without exception, ends in ing. Gerunds are not, however, all
that easy to identify. The problem is that all present participles also end in
ing. What is the difference?
Gerunds function as nouns. Thus, gerunds will be subjects, subject
complements, direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions.
Present participles, on the other hand, complete progressive verbs or act as
modifiers.
Read these examples of gerunds:
Since Francisco was five years old, swimming has been his passion.
Swimming = subject of the verb has been.
Francisco's first love is swimming.
Swimming = subject complement of the verb is.
Francisco enjoys swimming more than spending time with his girlfriend Diana.
Swimming = direct object of the verb enjoys.
Francisco gives swimming all of his energy and time.
Swimming = indirect object of the verb gives.
When Francisco wore dive fins to class, everyone knew that he was devoted to
swimming.
Swimming = object of the preposition to.
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